Eatbugs opened his eyes and blinked at the sun. He'd slept
far longer than he had intended and hurriedly washed his whiskers and patted
down his fur. Today was a very special day on the Rainbow Bridge. The elders
had held a Circle for hours and murmured quietly among themselves and then
had pronounced that today would be a day of great rejoicing and celebrations.
They had not said precisely why, but no kidden questioned the pronouncements
of the elders, especially when they called for fun, food and good companionship!

Eatbugs trotted along to the kibble bowls and hoped he
hadn't missed any of the events yet. He was relieved to see so many of
the Company still lingering over the food dishes. He found a vacant bowl
beside Skunk and started to eat.

"Well, I see you decided to join the world of the
conscious", laughed Grace.

"Well, Imbri and Tinky and Boo Boo and I took Spunky
out to dance among the stars last night and well....", said Eatbugs
looking sheepishly at his paw paws.

"...and you played tag until the sun came up",
laughed Jasmine.

Eatbugs' nose leather turned a deep pink, "well,
ummm, sort of".

"Well, I'm glad you decided to wake up", said
Rocky, "Today of all days is not the time to snore away your morning!".
The kiddens murmured in agreement.

Over in the grassy field, Dino, Picnic and Mister were
merrily giving peeper rides. Eatbugs knelt to help Pouncequick onto his
shoulders and then trotted brightly around the field. "Can I say it
Unca Eatbugs? Can I? Can I, huh?".

Eatbugs laughed, "Okay, go ahead". "Gets
along little dog dogs!" whooped Pounce at the top of his lungs.

In the tall grass a rousing game of hide and swipe was
in session. "Hey, how come my taiw am getting bopped so much. It alweady
been swiped three times!", bemoaned Nickie.

"Have you LOOKED at your tail lately, kid",
lauged Pitty Pat.

"Oh", said Nickie casting a baleful look at
his plumed appendage and diving back into the fray.

In the south field, just beyond the catnip patch, the
hockey game was in session. The puck flying fast and furious as fuzzy paw
paws thwacked it hither and yon. Freyja gave it a mighty slap and Dino
went off whisker and nose leather with Katie after it.

The chirps had gathered in the willow branchs to offer
up a chorale to those who wanted respite from the games. Miss Pepper and
Pris were lounging with Miss Kitty and Ebony listening to a particularly
lovely passage.

And so the day went, with laughter and fellowship and
friendly competitions. As the day drew to it's close and the horizon shifted
in color to the purple hues of sunset, the Elders sent for the Call to
Gathering. From their games and resting they came, the Company of Kiddens.
They gathered into a circle and Virginia stepped quietly to the center.
She laid out a book and lit a candle, whose light danced in the gathering
twilight. The other elders passed among the crowd handing out kibble. When
all had been served, Virginia cleared her voice. "Well met to all
the Company", she said, "it is time now to end our revels. We
gather now in the Circle of Bards as a final celebration of our life here
on the Bridge and make clear the meaning of today's celebration".
With that, Virginia stepped back from the candle and Isolde stepped forward.
In a soft voice she told the story of the Creation of All Things, of how
the Creator had twitched her whiskers and brought forth all light and goodness.
The kiddens sat enthralled as she finished her tale. When Isolde was through,
Picnic stepped forward and told the story of the Great Promise, of how
the loss of the love bond between her children and their humans had so
saddened the Creator that she created the Rainbow Bridge and had twitched
her tail and made the bond unbreakable. The kiddens all sighed and thought
with great love on their humans as Picnic finished his story. Then Grandpa
Max stepped into the the light and told the story of the Elders, of how
in the earliest days before even the time of remembering, the Company of
Kiddens had been formed and the Elders called upon to protect and nurture
all kiddens and to keep the ancient mysteries, to ease the time of passing
and to remember the old stories. The kiddens listened in awe as he finished
his tale. Then Virginia stepped back into the light. She looked from face
to face among the Company and began to speak, "Today we celebrate
with love and laughter the coming of an Elder" The kiddens all gasped....a
Welcoming? They looked at their paw paws and were embarrassed that they
had played games and made merry on such a day. Virginia smiled, "No,
my friends, it is right that we welcome this very special kidden with laughter
and love. He has lived a very long march of days in the sun. His life has
been filled to overflowing with love. There is sadness for his humans,
who must now wait the time they can know again the warmth of his fur, but
for our friend, joy. He will be whole again. He will once more be able
to truly savor the feel of sunlight on his fur and the grass beneath his
paws. It is right that we bring him to our Company with revels and song".

Virginia's eyes sought out a face in the crowd and when
she found the kidden she stretched out her paw, "Come, Taureen, lead
us now to the Gate and let us all make Welcome your beloved Boots".

Taureen's eyes lit up, "Boots? I will see Boots again?".

And together they rose and with Taureen at their front,
the Company made their way towards the Gate. The Welcoming Song rang out
in the willow branchs, filled with joy and love. The bittersweet refrain
of the loss to his humans played quietly as a counterpoint. Taureen closed
her eyes and purred her love to them as she walked.

They came at last to the Gate as the Welcoming Song reached
its peak and just as they settled into their circle, the blue light flashed
upon the Gate. In it's wake sat Boots. His fur was sleek and shiny, his
eyes bright. He took a step and looked down at his paw paws in disbelief.
There was no stiffness now, he did not hurt. He looked up and saw his beloved
Taureen running towards him and his heart leapt. They nuzzled noses and
licked faces. "Oh Boots!" Taureen cried, "I have waited
so long for you!".

Boots smiled and headbutted his old friend, "I am
here and now we will be together always".

As Taureen took him by the paw to lead him to his new
home, he paused and pursed his whiskers. He concentrated his thoughts and
lifted his purr to the wind and quietly in the night, his message drifted
its way to the earth, "I am home Mom and Dad. I am whole...and I am
waiting".